Remote Desktop Licensing, RDS CAL Licence, Licence RDS, Activation RDS Server, Remote Desktop CAL 2019

Remote Desktop Services

Activate a licence server

You must activate a licence server before it can issue Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licences (RDS CALs) to remote desktop clients. Activation allows the licence server to subsequently perform secure transactions with Microsoft and receive RDS CALs. After you activate the licence server, it becomes the registration authority for the RDS CALs. While you wait for the activation process to complete, the licence server can issue temporary CALs to clients, allowing them to use Remote Desktop Services for up to 90 days. To complete the activation process, you need the Product ID listed in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. For more information, see Activating a Remote Desktop Licensing Server.

Installing Client Access Licences

After activating a licence server, you can install Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licences (RDS CALs). RDS CALs are installed by Microsoft through the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. RDS CALs are stored and tracked on the licence server where they were installed. When Microsoft receives your request to install CALs, the appropriate requested number will be issued on the licence server. When a client machine logs on to a Remote Desktop session host server or Remote Desktop virtualisation host server for the first time, the RD session host server or RD virtualisation host server detects that a licence has not yet been issued to the client and looks for a licence server that can issue a new licence to the client machine. To complete the licence installation process, you need the licence server identifier displayed in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. You must also provide one of the following: the licence code from the retail product packaging, the licence and authorisation number from an Open License confirmation, or a Microsoft Select, Enterprise, Campus, School or Service Provider licence registration or contract number. For more information, see Installing Client Access Licences for Remote Desktop Services.

Reactivating a Licence Server

If you upgrade a licence server from Windows Server 2008 R2 to the next version of Windows Server, you must reactivate the licence service. Reactivation is required so that your upgraded server can manage RDS CALs in the next version of Windows Server. Reactivating a licence server does not lose licences currently installed on the licence server. RDS CALs in the next version of Windows Server are valid for connecting to a Windows Server 2008 Terminal Server, a Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Session Host or a Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Virtualisation Host. However, Windows Server 2008 Terminal Server Client Access Licences (TS-CALs) or Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS-CALs are not valid for connecting to an environment running the next version of Windows Server. You may also need to reactivate the licence server if your certificate has expired or become corrupted. For more information, see Reactivating a Remote Desktop licence server.

Managing CALs

Use this option to perform the following operations:

  • Move installed RDS CALs from a once-activated Remote Desktop Licence server to another activated licence server.
  • Re-create the RD Licensing database on the licence server and restore the RDS CALs that were previously installed on the licence server

If you want to perform any of these tasks, you need the licence server identifier for the licence server. The licence server identifier is displayed in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. You will also need to provide either a licence code or a contract number, depending on the type of programme through which you purchased your RDS CALs. You can find this information in the documentation that came with your RDS CALs.

Remote Desktop Services 2019

For more information, see Managing Remote Desktop Licensing.

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